Libya Military Campaign 'Has Cost UK £250m'

No 10 Downing Street - Prime Ministers Office

Prime Minister:

Pip Pip Blackadder

General Black Adder:

Good morning Sir. Now is there anything you wanted ?

Prime Minister:

Yes, I'm rotten stinking stoning stinking broke!

General Black Adder:

But Sir, What about all that money that Parliment voted for your Big Society ?

Prime Minister:

All gone I'm afraid. You see, I've discovered this terrifically fun
new game. It's called "Mission Creep ".

What happens is, you sit round the table talking and send Her Majesty’s Armed forces to foreign lands to fight. The object of the game is to give away all your money as quickly as possible.

Do you know it?

General Blackadder:

Vagueky Sir, yes

Prime Minister:

All the chaps say I'm terrific at it.

The only drawback, of course, is that it's pretty dammed expensive. So basically, I was wondering if you could fund it all within the current reducing defence expenditure budget.

General Blackadder:

You want me to fight in Afghanistan,  conduct operations in Libya and reduce the spending in the British Army.

 Prime Minister:

Precislely, good man

General Blackadder:

Well, that is a very attracive proposition, but unfortunately not practical. You see we need to ensure our troops or adequately rotated, properly trained and equipped, as well as ensuring the appropriate level of resources for the mission.

Prime Minister:

Ah, hm, that is a point. I tell you what: I'll do the talking and you do the fighting.

General Blackadder:

Oh, excellent, excellent, glad I checked.

The head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, joined his Navy and RAF counterparts in questioning military capability in the future in a tougher economic climate.
On Monday, David Cameron said the military should stick to the 'fighting" while he did the 'talking'.
Labour leader Ed Miliband picked up on the comment during Prime Minister's Questions, accusing him of being "crass and high-handed".
"When our military chiefs raise concerns, legitimate concerns about the conduct of our operations, surely it's not the right thing to say: 'You do the fighting and I'll do the talking'."
Mr Cameron responded by saying he had "huge respect" for the Armed Forces' top brass.

"The only point I've tried to make in recent days is that, when you're at war... in Afghanistan and Libya, I think it's very important, whether you're a political leader or military leader, to think very carefully about what you're about to say," he said.